Instagram: drandallblythe Randy Blythe has traveled back to the Czech Republic, where his trial on manslaughter charges began today (Feb. 4). Before entering the courtroom, the Lamb of God vocalist posted a photo of himself in a suit and tie (seen to the left), with a message to his fans: “And so it begins,” wrote Blythe on Instagram . “I am calm & prepared. Everyone, thanks for your good thoughts and prayers. Have a nice day, y’all!” As widely reported, Blythe was arrested this past summer on charges of manslaughter stemming from the 2010 death of a 19-year-old man named Daniel, who passed away a few weeks after allegedly being tossed from the stage at a Lamb of God show. Daniel’s family is seeking $530,000 U.S. dollars for the loss of their son, while Blythe also faces 5 to 10 years in prison if convicted. According to The Gauntlet , at the Prague City Court today, Blythe stated, “I’ve kept my word. I said that I would come back to court today and I did. I do not shy away from responsibility. I’m not a person who runs away from problems. But I do not want to be punished for something I did not do. The fan’s death breaks my heart. I never saw Daniel and I never came in contact with him.” The trial, which is expected to run from today through Friday, Feb. 8, began with both sides presenting their cases. In a rough translation from the Czech news site Cesky Rozhlas , the prosecution claimed that Blythe pushed Daniel with great force to the point that he fell off the stage over a metal barrier and hit his head on the ground. The prosecutor went on to explain that the young man hit the back and lower part of his brain, suffering internal bleeding. Blythe testified that the security at the club was insufficient and that several fans tried to rush the stage. As mentioned above, the Gauntlet reports that Blythe insisted he never saw Daniel or came into contact with him. According to WTVR , Lamb of God’s drummer Chris Adler and manager Larry Mazer testified on Blythe’s behalf, praising his character and calling him a quiet person despite his onstage persona. Tomorrow’s proceedings are expected to include testimony from 12 witnesses who attended the 2010 concert. We will update this story as news breaks. Check back with Loudwire for the latest on Randy Blythe’s ongoing trial in the Czech Republic. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/tags/randy-blythe/” title=”See More of the Latest News on Randy Blythe” align=”center”]
Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Sevendust are currently ramping up to their latest studio album, ‘ Black Out the Sun ,’ but singer Lajon Witherspoon is also mapping out his future beyond that disc. The frontman will follow in the footsteps of some of his bandmates by planning a side project during the group’s next break. Speaking with AlternativeAddiction.com , the vocalist explained, “Once this album has taken its course and Sevendust slows down again, I’ll start working on my solo stuff. I feel that life and music is like a chess game, and so I’m waiting to make my next move.” Talking about the sound, he explains, “I think it will always have that Sevendust sound to it. When I sing and people hear my voice, I have to believe they’ll compare it to Sevendust, which I don’t mind because that’s where my roots are. But I think my stuff will definitely have rock and a lot more soul. Sevendust has a groove, but I think I’ll be a little bit different, and I plan on not shutting the door to anyone who would want to work with me. I’m a lover of music and it doesn’t have to be just one way for everything.” But before a Witherspoon solo effort comes to fruition, he figures on spending plenty of time touring in support of the ‘Black Out the Sun’ album. The disc drops March 26, featuring the lead single ‘Decay.’ The band just shot a video for the track this past week. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/sevendust-coal-chamber-2013-must-see-rock-concerts/” title=”Next: Sevendust – Must-See 2013 Rock Concert” align=”center”]
Mark Metcalfe, Getty Images Robb Flynn has been playing some solo shows of late, but Machine Head fans should not worry about the band’s future. In fact, the rocker revealed in his latest online posting that he and his bandmates recently got in their first jam session hoping to spark material for their next album. The vocalist explained, “Dave [McClain], Phil [Demmel] and I practiced the other day and it was a really productive first jam session. McClain had about five rockin’ riffs, Demmel brought in the skeleton of what feels like a great song and I had a few riffs that we rocked on, no full songs, but solid riffs. It felt good, good to be moving on from ‘Locust.’ Super proud of that record, but it’s time to move on, and we’re ready to move on. Bring on the future with an open embrace.” As for his solo shows, Flynn also provided a recap of what his week of acoustic dates entailed. The vocalist recalled, “The shows were awesome, really, really, REALLY awesome! I needed this so bad. To everyone who came out to these shows and made them such a special and intense event, thank you. They got heavy, really heavy and I had no idea how heavy these would get. Therapeutic. I didn’t know what to expect or what they would be like. I made no set list except the opening and closing song. Chose songs we probably won’t play live again or at least haven’t played live in a reeeeeeeally long time, and cover songs we would never cover. To my surprise I ended up telling a lot of stories before each song. Every time I thought I’d been going on too long with a story, (‘am I talking too much?’) people would ask for more. In Fullerton I got a ‘sto-ry, sto-ry, sto-ry’ chant, it was hilarious. It was surprising how fun these shows were.” Flynn calls the performances “a massive communal release” and admits he got choked up by the response on more than one occasion. The vocalist also stated that he underwent a master cleanse and went beyond the ten-day process to make sure he remained sober while doing the performances. Watch Robb Flynn Covering Alice in Chains’ ‘Sunshine’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/machine-head-to-begin-work-on-new-album/” title=”Next: Machine Head Discuss New Album Plans” align=”center”]
Facebook: Sebastian Bach Sebastian Bach may be building up to the release of his live concert CD / DVD release, ‘ ABachalypse Now ,’ but there’s also plenty of fresh ideas floating around for the rocker at the moment. In a new studio update, Bach reveals that he’s been spending some time writing with Billy Idol guitar great Steve Stevens for his next record. Bach worked closely with talented young guitarist Nick Sterling on the 2011 album, ‘Kicking & Screaming,’ but the pair had a falling out toward the end of support for the record. Bach quickly replaced Sterling with guitarist Jeff George and it looks like the relationship with George will continue as well. In his latest studio update that he posted on his Facebook page , Bach wrote: Ideas are just starting to take shape for the next studio record. The legendary guitarist / great friend Steve Stevens has come up with one track so far that will definitely be on my next record. It is a kick ass cool rock ‘n roll song that I guarantee will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. Just how I like it. We are going to work on more songs together too. Also my guitar player Jeff George has come up with a couple of great ideas that we will also be demoing very soon. We are really going to get cracking on the new material right away and have a new studio album out sooner than you think! I am so happy to collaborate with Steve he has always been one of my favorite guitar players! We are going out rock this bitch down to the ground in 2013 mother truckers! Bach has shared the stage with Stevens on occasion as part of the all-star covers band Camp Freddy and the pair performed a three-night stand in New York just last year. A photo of the pair in the studio can be seen above. While we wait for the new studio album, be sure to mark March 26 on your calendar for the release of the ‘ABachalypse Now’ concert CD / DVD. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/sebastian-bach-calls-out-the-press-clarifies-comments-about-possible-book/” title=”Next: Sebastian Bach Clarifies Potential Book Comments” align=”center”]
Blackened Recordings Metallica have been diligent over the years when defending their trademark, but one small metal manufacturing company has emerged victorious in retaining their name after an initial challenge from the band. The Burnaby metal shop known as Metallica Manufacturing will continue to operate under their title after a recent court ruling. Owner Bill Lawson told Burnaby Now , “It was a very innocent choosing of such a name from a 12-year-old kid.” Lawson says that the name was chosen in the late ’90s and though the band was around at that point, the Metallica moniker seemed appropriate given their chosen trade as a custom metal shop. According to Lawson, the British Columbia business operated unencumbered for four or five years, but began to receive legal inquiries when they tried to register for a domain name online. After several years of the band’s legal representation trying to stop them from using the name, they filed a trademark application in 2008 seeking to use the moniker in coordination with metal fabrications, welding and machining. Last September, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office ruled that there was no likelihood of confusion between the company and the band, therefore giving Metallica Manufacturing a partial victory by allowing them to continue pursuing their trademark application. “This is not a gloating issue,” said Lawson after the ruling. “We just want to be left alone … We just want to be able to carry on and use the name. The whole city knows us.” It should be noted that Twisted Sister , who have been in the news lately for taking on small mom-and-pop businesses utilizing their name, recently commented on trademark law and not having a decision in who gets targeted. Guitarist Jay Jay French explained, “The fact of the matter is that trademark law doesn’t give me a choice on who and what to defend. The law is very clear: either defend your trademark or lose rights to it.” So while Metallica taking on small businesses over their name may seem like “David vs. Goliath,” should the band choose not to defend their trademark it would open themselves up to potentially allowing everyone access to the brand they’ve taken pride in building. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/best-metallica-songs/” title=”Next: 10 Best Metallica Songs” align=”center”]
Mike Ehrmann, Getty Images If silver marks a 25th anniversary and gold is for 50, apparently the perfect gift for a 110th anniversary is “rock,” and that’s exactly what Harley-Davidson will get for their latest milestone celebration as Kid Rock has signed on to play a bash for the company. The vocalist has just announced an exclusive partnership with the iconic motorcycle company that will include his appearance at the Labor Day weekend concert in Milwaukee. In addition, Harley-Davidson has come on board as the main sponsor of Rock’s ‘Rebel Soul’ tour , which launches tonight (Feb. 2) in Kansas City. As part of their backing, Harley-Davidson plan to offer unique fan experiences at each of Rock’s 60 planned tour stops. ‘What’s not to love about Harley?” said Rock. “They are the backbone of American culture, the flagship American brand. I am honored and excited to partner with this legendary icon that has helped define American freedom at home and abroad. In 110 years, no one has done a better job of representing America — there is NOTHING that screams America like Harley-Davidson.” Harley-Davidson Chief Marketing Officer Mark-Hans Richter added, “Kid Rock puts on a great show and embodies a lot of what Harley-Davidson and our fans stand for — freedom, independence, self-expression and the rebel spirit. We’re excited to take an unprecedented ride with him during the Rebel Soul tour.” As part of the partnership, Harley-Davidson will also co-brand Kid Rock’s ‘Rebel Soul’ merchandising featuring the song lyric, “ I can’t hear you over the rumble of my freedom .” [button href=”http://loudwire.com/alice-in-chains-2013-must-see-rock-concerts/” title=”Next: Check Out Other 2013 Must-See Rock Concerts” align=”center”]
Spencer Kaufman, Loudwire Those checking out the film festival portion of Austin’s South by Southwest will get plenty of Billie Joe Armstrong on the big screen. The Green Day frontman will appear in two separate movies, with ‘Broadway Idiot’ receiving its premiere during the event. The Doug Hamilton-directed ‘Broadway Idiot’ focuses on Armstrong’s involvement in the ‘American Idiot’ stage production, which actually starred the vocalist on select dates during its run. A trailer for ‘Broadway Idiot’ can be seen below. The other Armstrong-starring flick is ‘ ¡Cuatro! ,’ which Green Day shot while they were recording their recent album trilogy. A highlights special aired on several cable networks in December, with the full film recently screening at the Aspen X Games as part of their film festival. In addition to the two Green Day-related flicks, there are a number of other music acts featured in films screening at South by Southwest. Dave Grohl ‘s ‘ Sound City ‘ will air at the festival, coinciding with the singer’s participation as the music portion of South by Southwest’s keynote speaker. Billboard also reports that ‘Artifact,’ a 30 Seconds to Mars documentary, will air during the film festival. The movie details the band’s battle with their record label and the subsequent recording of their hit album, ‘This Is War.’ The movie was directed by Bartholomew Cubbins (aka singer Jared Leto). The festival will also feature movies centered on Bikini Kill singer Kathleen Hanna (‘The Punk Singer’) and a Snoop Dogg movie following his spirituality called ‘Reincarnated.’ Watch the ‘Broadway Idiot’ Trailer [button href=”http://loudwire.com/dave-grohl-keynote-speaker-2013-south-by-southwest-conference/” title=”Next: Dave Grohl Named 2013 South by Southwest Keynote Speaker” align=”center”]